


Intervention

by Mastre



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Canon Divergence - Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Fix-It, Gen, Nebula (Marvel) mentioned - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2019-07-19
Packaged: 2020-07-08 21:04:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19876063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mastre/pseuds/Mastre
Summary: Mistress Death rarely intervenes with the living, but there are limits you shouldn't cross...





	Intervention

Lady Death.

The Eternal Mistress.

Most only saw her in their final moment, when all hope was lost.

Some met her with fear, others with anger, yet others with gratefulness.

She was always waiting, patiently, in the shadows; knowing her turn would come. It was exceedingly rare that she revealed herself to the living.

Thanos felt something akin to honour, though his arousal was greater.

She was as magnificent as he'd imagined.

"I am to offer you the greatest of gifts," he said. "What I brought you in the past will pale in comparison."

"Is it so?"

Her voice held a coldness, like the singing of dark crystal.

It touched him in unmentionable ways.

"I went to great length to gather these." He held up the glove to make sure she saw the brilliance of the stones clearly. Only one was missing and he knew where to find it. On a small, blue planet that the foolish Asgardian had coveted and lost.

"I know." Behind her, he could barely make out what appeared like a portal deeply embraced by shadow. "And what do you intend to do with these stones?"

"Once I have them all, I will offer you half of all the souls in the universe. The world of the living will be perfectly balanced and your kingdom will receive more servants than you can ever think up tasks to occupy them with."

She watched him in silence; eternal night in her eyes. Their conversation was a formality. She had appeared before him just as he was about to leave for his next and last destination. It was unexpected but certainly not unwelcome.

"You think the dead are servants to me?"

Thanos grinned, eager to play the game.  
"I'm sure they are whatever you wish them to be."

"You seek to gain my favour," she said and behind her, there was movement followed by the soft sound of innumerable whispers. A gust of wind touched him and dissolved. "Yet, you take your greatest delight in breaking a flower before its time, or twisting its essence into poison."

Thanos frowned but she gave him no time to speak.

"You think you can offer me half of the world's creatures, as if they aren't already mine?"

"Mistress Death, if I have offended..."

"They are my children from the day they are born and whether they thrive or despair, they will always find their way home. Not a single one is lost to me." She slowly shook her head. "You think I will be courted by someone who doesn't understand who I am? Someone so arrogant he tries to gift me what is already mine?"

There were two figures standing behind her now but Thanos paid little attention. The humiliation felt at her words made his temper flare.  
"You cannot deny me! Once you see what I..."

"I can and I will." She didn't raise her voice but her words pierced the air like shards of ice. "I have seen your deeds, heard your claims of collecting souls in my name. I have watched you satisfy your base perversions in breaking, remolding and enslaving those entering your domain. You believe me to be a mirror of yourself, which I am not."

"I rarely intervene," she continued, "but this time I will make an exception. I will no longer tolerate such an impudent creature to take my name in vain while disrupting the natural flow of life into death."

She was even more glorious in her wrath, Thanos realized; terrible and alluring like a brewing storm of destruction. Surely she was only testing him, surely this was all an act.

"There are few who can stand against you now. One is far away and I will bring her to where she needs to be. Two have already entered my realm, by your hand, and I will let them go to fulfill their destiny."

She brought the two figures into the light. A woman with green skin and hair red as fire. A man with sharp features and a glow of magic around his hands.

He knew them both.

The Asgardian smiled.

Trying to speak, Thanos found himself mute. A terrible feeling was beginning to grow inside him, like an abyss was opening up under his feet.

Lady Death's eyes were unwavering, her hands resting lightly on the shoulders of the two smaller beings beside her. It was a protective, almost loving, stance.  
"If you choose to enter this battle, they will await you and I will not call even one of them home until you are defeated. You know their names well enough: Gamora, Loki and Nebula. Loyal only to me, those are the ones who will seal your fate."

Her image faded, becoming one with the darkness.

Thanos stood alone.


End file.
